Hot, Humid and Breezeless

Ocotillos on a hill

Willow Frio and I weren't so lucky on our morning trek today; the sun shone brightly, the humidity was high and there wasn't a whisper of a breeze.  Nevertheless, we hiked up to Second Arroyo, took a shade and water break inside, and then headed back.

I chose to return via LDR-A because I'd seen some Nipple Beehive Cacti that seemed on the verge of blooming fully, and I hoped that if we got back to them after our outing I might catch the blossoms open; it wasn't to be, though.

I'd like to say we saw nobody else during our explorations in our section of the northern Chihuahuan Desert, but as we exited Second Arroyo we encountered the woman we see fairly often running with her dog.  Frio was well behaved, only barking once at the joggers, but Willow was incredibly bad, lunging, barking and snarling at the two.  And then she pulled incessantly on the way back as she tried to inhale the scent of each and every paw print the canine interloper left behind along the way.

This & the next 2:  Barrel Cactus

Desert Zinnia bouquet

This & the next 5:  Barrel Cacti

Type of Senna with tiny yellow flowers?

This & the next 2:  Black-tailed Jackrabbit

Willow and Frio in Second Arroyo

Inside Second Arroyo

This & the next:  Desert Zinnia

Gambel's Quail

This & the next:  desert or jungle?

Last 2:  Nipple Beehive Cactus